YOUR VIEW - PUBLIC HEALTH

On behalf of SouthCoast Healthy Housing Workplace Initiative (SCHHWI), the 84.org chapter of Westport High School, a group of students from WHS who represent the 84 percent of youth who do not choose to smoke tobacco, congratulates CVS Pharmacy on their great achievement of stopping the sale of tobacco in their pharmacies nat...

Comment

southcoasttoday.com

Writer

Posted Apr. 14, 2014 at 12:01 AM

Posted Apr. 14, 2014 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

On behalf of SouthCoast Healthy Housing Workplace Initiative (SCHHWI), the 84.org chapter of Westport High School, a group of students from WHS who represent the 84 percent of youth who do not choose to smoke tobacco, congratulates CVS Pharmacy on their great achievement of stopping the sale of tobacco in their pharmacies nationwide. This movement is a great relief to our group and the youth we represent, since it is keeping the sale of tobacco further out of the hands of our youth. This movement reflects our efforts as a group and can ensure the continuation of our past efforts and make them accomplishments.

This past school year, our group worked in the fight against the sale of tobacco, and went to the State House last M0arch to speak to our district legislators and bring awareness to the problem in Westport. Our school had issues with students bringing in tobacco products and then after school smoking them across the street from the school before hopping on their bus home. Our 84.org chapter brought awareness to our student body about the harmful effects from tobacco products and hosted an annual health fair, with health groups invited to come and present their information on health and tobacco.

Also, as my part in the 84.org and as a Youth Wellness Champion for SouthCoast Healthy Housing Workplace Initiative, a special project of the YMCA Southcoast, I have worked on the movement to ban tobacco sales in local pharmacies in Westport — Westport Apothecary and CVS Pharmacy.

On Aug. 13, 2012, I went to the Westport Board of Health to present to them the benefits of banning the sale of tobacco in our town's pharmacies. Working with 84.org group, I used my knowledge to show the board the effect tobacco sales have on youth, and how ironic it is for a pharmacy, where medicine is sold to make people feel better, to sell a deadly product such as cigarettes. I mentioned the fact that both places had a gas station nearby that sold tobacco, where the customers can go.

With the support of the Board of Health, which was ecstatic to be on board with our 84.org chapter, our group was able to have influenced the ban of the sale of tobacco products in both pharmacies in Westport. This movement not only helps the youth of the town, but the community as a whole came together over this issue. Our youth group brought attention to something that was so small, but is now a nationwide movement thanks to CVS Caremark Corporation. The Board of Health regulations also made sure that any pharmacy cannot sell tobacco products in town.

The 84.org is a statewide movement of youth fighting tobacco in Massachusetts. Our Westport High School chapter works on educating our peers and adults about the tobacco industry's marketing tactics and health risks from tobacco products. Through different events and movements, our group is able to advance in lowering local strategies to reduce the influence of tobacco in our community.

The CHHWI campaign has coincided with 84.org movement initiative in getting people to quit smoking and keeping it out of reach of youth's hands. SCHHWI has made it easier for our chapter to work on educating the youth about smoking tobacco and its harmful effects of tobacco products by having information on their website (http://schhwi.org/), Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. SCHHWI has also made it easier for our group to connect to youth while SCHHWI works to lower secondhand smoking in private and public housing, workplaces, and Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Centers in New Bedford, Fall River and Wareham by supporting them to go smoke free. Working with SCHHWI, our 84.org chapter has been able to inspire youth to not touch tobacco products, and if they have started, how to quit.

SCHHWI has also inspired me to take a leadership role to keep working on this tobacco-free lifestyle campaign and never touch tobacco products in my life. With warnings and knowledge that I know now thanks to SCHHWI and 84.org, I now know how harmful tobacco products can be, and how they can control you. SCHHWI has also shown me that smoking can cause premature aging and how it is possible to kick this ugly habit, by having an ex-smokers Hall of Fame.

SCHHWI hosted a Hall of Fame for local residents who successfully quit smoking and brought hope to those who are still stuck in the old habit of smoking. With other stress releases and ways to relax, I realize how pointless smoking tobacco is. It does not look cool to see my peers smoking, thinking they are acting all cool. My advice is stop, because it is not worth shaving 10 years off your life just to seem cool.

For any youth who is interested in joining the 84.org, check to see if your school has a chapter and join! You can also look online at www.84.org.